Book packaging container

Abstract: A book packaging container, comprising four walls (10), a floor (9) and cover flaps (11) which can be folded into a container closing cover after wrapping the books, said walls, floor and cover defining a space having a certain size and shape. The floor (9) of a container or a separate base sheet (3) laid upon the floor of a container is fitted with carton or cardboard flaps (5) whose bases are located adjacent to an edge (13) between the opposite end walls (10) and the floor (9) of a container. The flaps (5) have a length which only slightly less than that of the container, whereby the ends of said flaps (5) can be fastened in an overlapping (7) fashion against each other on top of a bundle of books (6).

Description: The present invention relates to a book packaging container, comprising four walls, a floor and cover flaps which can be folded into a container closing cover after wrapping the books, said walls, floor and cover defining a space having a certain size and shape (see for example US-A-2 005 967). Book clubs, for example, mail books to their subscribers in such book packaging containers or parcels. The size of books to be mailed and the thickness of book bundles vary and, thus, more or less empty space is left between a bundle of books and the walls of a container. However, it is necessary to eliminate the movement of books inside the container as effectively as possible for preventing damage to the books as a result of rubbing against each other and colliding against the walls of a container. Hence, it is prior known to furnish a container with various paddings. Those are nevertheless inconvenient and often also littering. Prior known is also a plastic bag which expands through the action of chemicals (instafoam). The use of such a bag is also inconvenient and disposal of the bag creates an environmental problem. In addition, threading of a plastic wrapper strip between the floor flaps is also prior known for binding a pile of books with the wrapper strip into an integral bundle against the floor. However, the further handling of a package is inconvenient since the plastic must be separated therefrom before the cardboard material can be recycled or incinerated. Another drawback is that the wrapper strip must be added already in the container making machine. Yet, most of the containers are manufactured by using machines which lack this possibility and, hence, those who use the containers have to settle with the above-mentioned paddings. An object of the invention is to provide an improved book packaging container, wherein the elimination or restriction of movements for a bundle of books of varying dimensions can be effected without the above drawbacks. This object is achieved by means of the invention in such a manner that the floor of said container or a separate base sheet laid upon the floor of said container is fitted with carton or cardboard flaps whose bases are located adjacent to an edge between the opposite end walls and the floor of said container, said flaps having a length which is more than the sum of the half-height and the half-length of said container but less than the length of said container, whereby the ends of the flaps can be fastened in an overlapping fashion against each other on top of a bundle of books. A preferred embodiment of the invention, which during the course of packing can be affixed as a supplement to a conventional cardboard container, is characterized in that a separate base sheet made of carton or cardboard is of a size that matches the floor of said container, such that the base sheet abuts with its edges against the walls surrounding the floor of said container, and that the bases of said flaps join the base sheet at a small distance from the ends of the base sheet. This type of supplements can be manufactured to match various container sizes simply in such a manner that said flaps consist of the same continuous web of carton or cardboard as said base sheet and that said small distance is provided by double-folding the web into end or flank reinforcements for the base sheet, the superimposed plies being glued together at said reinforcements. Since the flaps and the base sheet bind the books into an integral bundle whose lateral movements are eliminated by the base sheet, said base sheet need not necessarily be glued securely to the floor of a container. However, if the supplement consists of very thin carton or if the vertical movement of a bundle of books should also be eliminated, it is preferred that the base sheet be glued securely to the floor of a container. A solution, which is capable of being manufactured both during the course of assembling a container and as a supplement to be affixed to a finished container, is characterized in that said separate base sheet and said flaps are made of single corrugated cardboard whose smooth face is fastened to the inner surface of the floor of a container. A solution, which is only capable of being manufactured during the course of assembling a container, is characterized in that said flaps are made of the same continuous cardboard material as the container and are formed from the extensions of floor closing flaps. In order to facilitate mechanical closing of the flaps it is preferred that the flaps be different in length. In view of a closing operation effected both manually and mechanically, it is preferred that the outer edge adjacent to the end flank of the shorter flap be provided with an adhesive. Three different embodiments of the invention will now be described in more detail with reference made to the accompanying drawings, in which fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a packaging container according to a first embodiment of the invention prior to fitting an inner wrapper 2 in a container 1; fig. 2 is a vertical section showing the packaging container of fig. 1 after a packing operation; fig. 3 is a vertical section showing a bottom corner in a packaging container according to a second embodiment of the invention; and fig. 4 shows a third embodiment of the invention the same way as fig. 3. The packaging container shown in figs. 1 and 2 include two separate sections, namely a container 1 and a wrapper unit 2, possibly coming from different manufacturers. The container is made e.g. of corrugated cardboard and includes four walls 10, a floor 9 and cover flaps 11. The floor 9 may also consist of four flaps the same way as the cover. The wrapper unit 2 comprises a base sheet 3 and flaps 5, which are made of the same continuously extending carton or cardboard web as the base sheet 3. In the end areas of the base sheet 3, however, the web is double-folded and glued into end reinforcements 4 for the base sheet 3. At the same time, this provides a small distance equal to the width of reinforcements 4 between the base of flaps 5 and the ends of sheet 3. The flaps 5 must have a sufficient length to enable them to extend in an overlapping fashion over the top of a bundle of books 6 placed upon the base sheet 3, as shown in fig. 2 with reference numeral 7. However, the flaps 5 must be shorter than the length of container 1 and at least one of the flaps 5 must be shorter than the distance between the bases thereof to enable the flaps 5 to rest tightly on top of each other upon the base sheet 3. Thus, the wrapper units 2 can be stored as tight bundles for delivering such units mechanically therefrom into a container while opening the flaps 5. Prior to inserting a unit 2 into a container 1, the adhesive points are sprayed on the outer face of the base sheet 3 or on the inner face of the container floor 9. One of the flaps is longer than the other and thus, in a mechanical closing process, with the flaps folding almost simultaneously, the shorter flap will always end up underneath. Thus, the outer face of its end portion may be provided with an adhesive tape 14 or adhesive points sprayed in the packaging machine. The size of base sheet 3 is substantially equal to the inside dimension of container floor 9, whereby the base sheet 3 abuts against the walls 10 surrounding the container floor. Hence, the unit 2 need not be glued to the container floor provided that said unit 2 is made of a rigid carton or cardboard. The distance of the bases of flaps 5 from the end walls 10 ensures that books 6 that are typically shorter than the length of a container will also be secured by the flaps 5 on the container floor. The case of fig. 3 differs from what is described above in that the material of an inner wrapper 2a comprises a single corrugated cardboard which provides a base sheet 3', which is fastened with an adhesive 8 to a container floor 9 and, thus, there is no need for end flanks abutting against the end walls 10. However, if the inner wrapper 2a is supplied as a supplement separate from the container, it is preferably provided with end folds 4 abutting against the container end walls 10, as in the embodiment of figs. 1 and 2. The embodiment of fig. 4 differs from those described above in that the flaps 5 are made of the same continuous cardboard material as the container 1 and are formed from the extensions of closing flaps for the floor 9. In order to locate the bases of flaps 5 also in this embodiment at a small distance from an edge 13 between the end wall 10 and the floor 9, it is possible to provide a bending crease 12 at the base of flap 5. Between the edge 13 and the bending crease 12 said floor plies 9 can be glued to each other for bracing the floor edge and corners of a container. In the cases of figs. 3 and 4, the dimensioning and operation of flaps 5 can be otherwise (further to the dimensioning according to claim 1) equal to what is described in conjunction of figs. 1 and 2.

Claims: A book packaging container, comprising four walls (10), a floor (9) and cover flaps (11) which can be folded into a container closing cover after wrapping the books, said walls, floor and cover defining a space having a certain size and shape, the floor (9) of said container or a separate base sheet (3) laid upon the floor of said container being fitted with carton or cardboard flaps (5) whose bases are located adjacent to an edge (13) between the opposite end walls (10) and the floor (9) of said container, each of said flaps (5) having a length which is more than the sum of the half-height and the half-length of said container but less than the length of said container, whereby the ends of the flaps (5) can be fastened in an overlapping (7) fashion against each other on top of a bundle of books (6). A book packaging container as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that the separate base sheet (3) made of carton or cardboard is of a size that matches the floor of said container (1), such that the base sheet (3) abuts with its edges against the walls (10) surrounding the floor of said container, and that the bases of said flaps (5) join the base sheet (3) at a small distance from the ends of the base sheet (3). A book packaging container as set forth in claim 2, characterized in that said flaps (5) consist of the same continuous web of carton or cardboard as said base sheet (3) and that said small distance is provided by double-folding the web into end or flank reinforcements (4) for the base sheet, the superimposed plies being glued together at said reinforcements. A book packaging container as set forth in claim 2 or 3, characterized in that said base sheet (3) is glued securely to the floor (9) of said container (1). A book packaging container as set forth in any of claims 1-4, characterized in that inside the container (1) made of a corrugated cardboard is fitted a wrapper unit (2), which consists of said base sheet (3) and said flaps (5). A book packaging container as set forth in any of claims 2-4, characterized in that said separate base sheet (3') and said flaps (5) are made of a single corrugated cardboard having its smooth face fastened to the inner surface of the container floor (9). A book packaging container as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that said flaps (5) are made of the same continuous cardboard material as the container (1) and formed from the extensions of closing flaps for the floor (9). A book packaging container as set forth in any of claims 1-7, characterized in that the flaps are different in length. A book packaging container as set forth in claim 8, characterized in that the outer face adjacent to the end flank of the shorter flap (5) is provided with an adhesive tape.

Inventors: JANHONEN TARMO, JANHONEN, TARMO
Applicants: PUSSIKESKUS OY
Application year: 1994
Main classification: B65D5
IPC codes: B65D77